Maybe they're distinct in your own mind, but considering that the Rafe adoption plot was their plan for keeping EJ from the child I don't see these two things as distinct at all.

But why would you want to let the facts get in the way of a chance for you to take a potshot at James Scott?

JS is referring to the motivation, not the means. If it were the latter, he would effectively be claiming that Sami was justified asking Rafe to adopt Grace but Rafe wasn't justified accepting (which makes even less sense).

Sami didn't ask Rafe to adopt Grace. It was his idea and his whole plan that he brought to Sami. He was the one who forged all the papers and presented the question to her... remember at first Sami thought he was going to propose marriage?

And I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on whether Rafe was justified in trying to illegally adopt somebody else's kid out from under him.

I, like JS, can see why Sami did what she did. But Rafe? It's not like he doesn't have some skeletons in his closet himself.